A Stress Test for Good Intentions

LONDON AND SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2009, The Economist — In June Gap, a big retailer based in San Francisco, will hold a strategy meeting for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) team. In previous years that meant flying in people from 20 countries around the world. But this time the company plans to bring them together virtually, via online meetings. The main reason for the switch is not to help save the planet by reducing Gap’s carbon footprint, but to help save money. “Everyone’s looking to become more efficient,” explains Dan Henkle, who leads the company’s CSR activities.